There are better, cheaper alternatives to migrant tent cities

Regarding “Disagreements on child detentions could sink hopes for streamlined immigration courts” (Aug. 1): Senators Tillis, Grassley, and Cruz have proposed changes to the Flores Settlement, which limits detention of immigrant children. They want to change the law so that families can be locked up together.

Not only is this bad for children, it is extremely expensive. The proposed tent cities for migrants cost more than $700 per person per day.

There are alternatives to detention that are very effective and are much cheaper, such as releasing people with supervision and ankle bracelets which cost less than $10 per person per day .

Such alternatives to detention are better for children and better for American taxpayers.

Save democracy

Regarding “Trump and Putin raise possibilities of another meeting” (July 28): I hate to be such a grumpy old veteran, but I’m still having trouble adapting to “Trumpworld.” Our president has a best friend in a foreign country. Unfortunately, this friend was formerly a leader in the Russian KGB, a group that isn’t noted for being nice.

Now I’m hearing that any ‘collusion” with the Russians to destroy our democracy isn’t a crime? Why are we shrinking our world so Russia is our only friend?

I suspect Putin simply regards the U.S. as another country to be subjugated to his rule. A little more cyberwarfare should eliminate any threat from us, so he won’t have to bother to “collude” with anyone here.

Voters, beware. This November might be your last chance to save our democracy.

Support offshore energy

North Carolina has a chance to land a one-two punch of affordable and reliable energy and accessible new jobs – and its minority community needs its elected officials to stand up to support offshore energy development.

In North Carolina, 23 percent percent of African Americans and 27 percent of Latino residents live in poverty, and the offshore industry could be a lifeline to a better life for countless families.

A recent study predicts that within 20 years of leasing, North Carolina could see nearly 56,000 new jobs and $4 billion in annual contributions to the state’s economy as a result of energy development and exploration.

Likewise, too many low-income North Carolinians cannot afford to keep up with their energy bills. Take Jones County, the poorest households in this county – the ones below 50 percent of the federal poverty level – are spending close to 43 percent of their monthly income on energy costs.

There is no sufficient reason why North Carolina should not fight to ensure energy is affordable, reliable and accessible. North Carolina needs its elected leaders to step up and fight for this chance to better the lives of countless residents.

‘Great news’

What great news that PolitiFact NC will be expanded in time for the mid-term elections. In reference to “We’re expanding our fact-checking in partnership with PolitiFact, Duke and UNC” (Aug. 1) about the grant award from the NC Local News Lab Fund, I welcome that as an independent voter who will be watching closely what each candidate has to say and if what they say is truthful.

This kind of “watchdog” service is certainly needed where there is such political discord and candidates too often are “loosey-goosey” with the facts, as my father used to say. Thank you for expanding this service.

Informing readers

Regarding “Vote for amendments, find out later what’s in them” (July 23): I want to thank Colin Campbell and the News & Observer for their recent articles about the N.C. constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot this fall.

Without these articles I would have no idea what the amendments were really about. It shows that when the legislative branch deals in secrecy and obscurity, the “Fourth Estate” has a really important role to play in our system of government.